Alternative natural medicines thread.

[fred]

Can they be effective??
Over here we often hear about and see the locals using different fruits and leaves and certain tuba plants for different ailments..
Intrigued, I Occasionally ask for the names of these plants etc and see if I can find what Google know about them.


1. Turmeric..

7 Powerful Turmeric Health Benefits & Side Effects

http://draxe.com/turmeric-health-benefits/

What the UK Cancer research web site says about Turmeric..

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/abou...t-bowel-cancer..

I often buy fresh turmeric and Ginger to make Ginger beer with...(always loved this stuff as a kid)
Had no idea it may be doing me good!!


Please feel free to add to this list.

[Michael Parnham]

Thank you for the info Fred, worth a rep

[Steve.r]

There are all sorts of local remedies in the Philippines, but lots of old wives tales too

One local story from a couple of months ago, a farmer in our brgy was bitten by a Cobra. Instead of being taken immediately to the hospital, he was taken to an old woman's house for a special drink of alak (alcohol). It is supposed to help stop the poison. He died 2 hours later from a Cobra bite.

A friend of ours a Tanod who lives near our farm, stepped out of his house one morning and was bitten by a Cobra, he was taken immediately to hospital and a few days later was home, shaken but alive.

[Doc Alan]

Medical treatments - drugs, surgery, or whatever - are either evidence-based or not. If they work, they’re not " alternative / complementary " . The only way to prove a treatment works is by a randomised controlled trial - where a group of similar people are randomly assigned to the treatment being tested, or either a placebo or the best current treatment.


Many people - not just in the Philippines - use a selection of non-evidence based treatments - either from choice or because they can’t afford " conventional / orthodox / evidence-based " treatment. Potential problems are that the " alternative " treatment may do harm - either directly, or indirectly ( because they don’t take the treatment known to work, as in the Cobra bite case reported by Steve.r ).


Of course it may be interesting to study local remedies. Over the years some of these may indeed be shown to work.


Some of the " medicinal plants " found in Malaysia and elsewhere in South-East Asia, which are variously claimed to be " anti-inflammatory, treat snake bites, gout, kidney problems, prostate problems, bladder stones, diabetes, worm infections, shingles, cancer, and heart disease " - " Cat’s whiskers " ( 60sen ), Roselle ( hibiscus species ; 70sen ), and Hempedu/Andrographis ( 80sen ) :-






Here, Sabah Snake Grass ( RM3 ) :-






There are in fact over a hundred chemical substances derived from plants, which have been used as drugs ( controlled or otherwise ) and medicines. They include digoxin ( foxglove ; heart conditions ) ; cannabis ; cocaine ( coca plant ) ; codeine and morphine ( pain relief ; poppy ) ; colchicine ( autumn crocus ; gout ); quinine ( " quinine tree " ; antimalarial ), and vinca alkaloids ( periwinkle plant ; cancer treatment ). Observation, chance and good luck has also resulted in effective drugs such as penicillin-derived antibiotics ( from penicillium mould ).


Doctors’ primary function is to make people better. Every patient deserves their treatment to be effective, safe and acceptable, without serious side-effects. No-one in this day and age - wherever they live - should expect a doctor to treat them based on their opinion alone. They’re entitled to expect most - if not all - treatments to be based on good evidence that they actually work.


They may also treat terminally ill patients, in whom " conventional " treatment is no longer working, with " alternative " treatments. Provided such patients give informed consent, nothing is lost, and indeed if the results are carefully recorded, that may help other patients.

[Arthur Little]

Hitherto ... I'd been reluctant to add my twopenceworth to this thread ... and, even as I type, I'm not entirely sure of my facts. But here goes:

Coinciding with getting married for the first time, I joined the practice (where I'm still a patient - albeit in different premises) in 1967.

's more than 48 years ago. Anyway, my GP - a young man - back then, as I recall, totally pooh~poohed any notion of the sort of alternative therapies being discussed in this thread.

Clearly long~retired - and fast-approaching his eighties - he's [last I heard] been running a clinic specialising in such activities as, amongst other things, relaxation ... including transcendental meditation, in conjunction with the use of the natural herbal remedies he'd once so vehemently decried!

However, as I've already said ... ... I cannot vouch for the accuracy of what could simply amount to hearsay!

[Doc Alan]

Last year one of the Nobel prizewinners in physiology / medicine was a Chinese medical researcher at the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Youyou Tu ( for whom singing " Happy Birthday " could be a challenge ) has a bachelor’s degree from Beijing Medical University School of Pharmacy. Her success without either a doctorate or overseas education is an inspiration.



She was encouraged by traditional Chinese medicine to pursue a treatment for malaria. The Chinese medicinal herb quinghao, or sweet wormwood, has been used as a treatment for fever since the 4th century AD.



She obtained an active compound, artemisinin, from the herbal remedy - despite difficulty in conducting clinical trials during the Cultural Revolution - having first tested the extract for safety on herself.



Artemisinins are active against all human malaria species and are used in the treatment of severe and uncomplicated malaria - perhaps saving 100,000 lives in Africa every year.



There is now a problem of antimalarial drug resistance, especially in South-East Asia. Artemisinin resistance has been confirmed in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. This is partly because of poor treatment practices and substandard drugs. Patients may still be cured - but they MUST have ACTs ( Artemisinin Combination Therapies with another effective antimalarial ).



None of this detracts from the success story of the Nobel prizewinner - or the fact that medical interventions should be based on good evidence. She proved that artemisinin is effective and lifesaving. The same should apply to any treatment, even if not everyone will receive a Nobel Prize for their work .

[Doc Alan]

Last year one of the Nobel prizewinners in physiology / medicine was a Chinese medical researcher at the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Youyou Tu ( for whom singing " Happy Birthday " could be a challenge ) has a bachelor’s degree from Beijing Medical University School of Pharmacy. Her success without either a doctorate or overseas education is an inspiration.



She was encouraged by traditional Chinese medicine to pursue a treatment for malaria. The Chinese medicinal herb quinghao, or sweet wormwood, has been used as a treatment for fever since the 4th century AD.



She obtained an active compound, artemisinin, from the herbal remedy - despite difficulty in conducting clinical trials during the Cultural Revolution - having first tested the extract for safety on herself.



Artemisinins are active against all human malaria species and are used in the treatment of severe and uncomplicated malaria - perhaps saving 100,000 lives in Africa every year.



There is now a problem of antimalarial drug resistance, especially in South-East Asia. Artemisinin resistance has been confirmed in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. This is partly because of poor treatment practices and substandard drugs. Patients may still be cured - but they MUST have ACTs ( Artemisinin Combination Therapies with another effective antimalarial ).



None of this detracts from the success story of the Nobel prizewinner - or the fact that medical interventions should be based on good evidence. She proved that artemisinin is effective and lifesaving. The same should apply to any treatment, even if not everyone will receive a Nobel Prize for their work .

[fred]

Last year one of the Nobel prizewinners in physiology / medicine was a Chinese medical researcher at the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Youyou Tu ( for whom singing " Happy Birthday " could be a challenge ) has a bachelor’s degree from Beijing Medical University School of Pharmacy. Her success without either a doctorate or overseas education is an inspiration.



She was encouraged by traditional Chinese medicine to pursue a treatment for malaria. The Chinese medicinal herb quinghao, or sweet wormwood, has been used as a treatment for fever since the 4th century AD.



She obtained an active compound, artemisinin, from the herbal remedy - despite difficulty in conducting clinical trials during the Cultural Revolution - having first tested the extract for safety on herself.



Artemisinins are active against all human malaria species and are used in the treatment of severe and uncomplicated malaria - perhaps saving 100,000 lives in Africa every year.



There is now a problem of antimalarial drug resistance, especially in South-East Asia. Artemisinin resistance has been confirmed in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. This is partly because of poor treatment practices and substandard drugs. Patients may still be cured - but they MUST have ACTs ( Artemisinin Combination Therapies with another effective antimalarial ).





None of this detracts from the success story of the Nobel prizewinner - or the fact that medical interventions should be based on good evidence. She proved that artemisinin is effective and lifesaving. The same should apply to any treatment, even if not everyone will receive a Nobel Prize for their work .

What a worthy individual indeed!!
Unfortunately,I cannot say the same for how I feel about these huge pharmaceutical conglomerates.
For instance...Is it in their business interests to really find cures for cancer or is it far more profitable to just maintain the condition with expensive drugs and chemotherapy?
I read that the Cancer business in the U.S alone is worth 200 Billion $$ a year..
I`d better shut up now before someone calls me a conspiracy theory nut!

[Doc Alan]

Unfortunately,I cannot say the same for how I feel about these huge pharmaceutical conglomerates.
For instance...Is it in their business interests to really find cures for cancer or is it far more profitable to just maintain the condition with expensive drugs and chemotherapy?
I read that the Cancer business in the U.S alone is worth 200 Billion $$ a year..
I`d better shut up now before someone calls me a conspiracy theory nut!

I doubt anyone could call you a conspiracy theory nut !


It is indeed more profitable for pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs intended either for prolonging cancer patients’ lives, or medication for long term use such as treatment of heart disease or diabetes, rather than antibiotics which are often ( apart from TB ) required only for a few days.



Antibiotic resistance ( as in bacterial diseases like TB or MRSA infections ) and antimicrobial resistance ( including malaria parasites, and viruses like HIV ) are an increasing worldwide problem. There could be more deaths than from cancers in future due to misuse /over-prescription / fake drugs ( in humans and farming ). There is a desperate need for new drugs - with financial incentives for research workers and pharmaceutical companies to produce them.



Cancer patients are being denied drugs which could cure, or at least lengthen their lives, because of exorbitant prices. This isn’t just on the UK NHS - but elsewhere in the world, including the Philippines. It's even more unfair because prices for the same drugs ( often cheap to make ) vary so much in different countries. Prices for antibiotics also vary considerably.



There was a glimmer of hope recently when GlaxoSmithKline ( GSK ) unveiled new patent policies that could make it easier for people in less affluent countries to access drugs. GSK will stop filing for patents in at least 50 least developed and low income countries - so new generic versions may be produced without fear of litigation. In countries such as the Philippines, GSK would " seek to agree licences with generic producers for a small royalty fee ". Obviously other big pharmaceutical companies need to follow suit.


This is at a time when the high cost of drugs in rich and poor countries alike come under increasing scrutiny - as ageing populations and increasing chronic diseases place a strain on health systems around the world.

[fred]

"Proteins extracted from its leaves include miraculin, peroxidase, thaumatin-like proteins. These proteins control abnormal cellular growth, thus have therapeutic effects on tumors, especially tumors of the colon and bones."

http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2015/12...rocumbens.html

[Tawi2]

I Worked in india and remember they were big in ayurvedic medicines,i think alternative natural medicines have their place sometimes as placebos if people truly believe,but anything serious is a doctors or surgeons realm.Victoria in Oz have just legalised medicinal marijuana.

[fred]

A plant that seems to grow well here in my garden is.... GYNURA PROCUMBENS or “Longevity spinach’.




http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2015/12...rocumbens.html

Its great in salads and fruit/veg smoothies.. Ive been told the health benefits are impressive..
Anti ageing the most impressive!!
I wonder if its anti oxidant effect helps with hangovers?? Lets see.

[stevewool]

A plant that seems to grow well here in my garden is.... GYNURA PROCUMBENS or “Longevity spinach’.




http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2015/12...rocumbens.html
Anti ageing the most impressive!!

When we meet i told you you did not look 70

[fred]

I lied about my age...I`m only 36.

[Terpe]

I still eat around 6 bananas every day.
Garlic, onion and ginger are in most of our cooking.

We tend to use a lot of Kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica) as a Spinach substitute and it's so cheap here.

Healthy cooking is cheap and easy here if you have an interest to do it.

[fred]

I still eat around 6 bananas every day.
Garlic, onion and ginger are in most of our cooking.

We tend to use a lot of Kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica) as a Spinach substitute and it's so cheap here.

Healthy cooking is cheap and easy here if you have an interest to do it.

Crikey..Look at what they reckon about Kangkong..

• Kangkong buds, used as poultice to treat skin diseases such as ringworm, athletes foot etc,
• Kangkong is used to promote vomiting in poisoning.
• Kangkong juice mixed with water are used as cold compress to treat fever.
• Juice from boiled kangkong is used to loosen constipation.
• Kangkong is also used to treat intestinal worm infestation.
• In Indian Ayurveda Medicine, kangkong is used to treat jaundice and liver problems.
• Kangkong leaves are used to treat diabetes in pregnant women.
• Kangkong is also used as a sedative to promote relaxation and sleep.

[fred]

Green smoothies for breakfast?



http://wendiland.com/blogs/recipes/9...-for-breakfast

[jonnijon]

An American friend of mine had an attack of shingles last year, went to the doctor many times and creams did not do any good at all, so he went to the local "witch doctor" and she slapped some pultis on made from some type of leaf and in a couple of hours the rash had almost gone.

[Doc Alan]

Neither " alternative " nor " orthodox " medicines can cure shingles. I can’t comment on individual anecdotes. To avoid " hijacking " this thread, see separate thread in this section.